Book Crime History, Detection, Prevention

April 4, 2009

Books embody religion, history, philosophy, science, art, literature and criticism. But their value to readers and collectors also makes them tempting objects for counterfeiters, falsifiers and invading armies.

It's difficult to bring to justice to those who commit crimes against books. The fourth annual Caxton Club/Newberry Library Symposium on the Book explored the various ways attacks on books have been framed, executed, uncovered, prevented and punished (or not).

This roundtable session on the forgery and destruction of books features: rare book librarian Susan Allen from the Getty Research Institute Library; Michael Thompson, a Chicago attorney and collector; Brian Brusakas from the FBI Art Crimes Task Force; and William Butts, a bookseller from Main Street Fine Books and Manuscripts in Galena, Illinois. Alice Schreyer from the University of Chicago Library moderates the discussion.